FLAT TRACK | Silver Dollar Showdown

Teenage rising star steals the spotlight on his home track while Aussie Tom Drane hangs tough to maintain his Singles series points lead

Aussie Tom Drane has maintained his place at the top of the American Flat Track Singles standings after finishing third in the series’ latest instalment, the Silver Dollar Short Track in Chico, California, on May 3.

Estenson Yamaha’s Drane said afterwards that third position was another solid result, but he was definitely wanting more. “I felt good all day, just came up short. It was good to extend the points lead, now we’re going to get back to work to be ready for the next one.”

Taking out victory was 17-year-old sensation Kage Tadman, who backed up his win from the previous round at the Ventura Short Track, leaving him undefeated since hitting the pro ranks. The back-to-back victories on debut were unprecedented for American Flat Track and although Tadman (KTM 450 SX-F) admitted to a home-track advantage at Ventura, he said that was not the case for the Silver Dollar Short Track. “It was about getting used to a new track. I’ve never been here and don’t really ride these types of tracks much. But I was just trying to get used to it and adapt to the size of the track and the dirt. And I was able to pull off a good win.”

When asked why it took until he was 17 to make his AFT debut, Tadman said it came down to funding. “Our plan was to go pro when I was 16. It was funding and experience; I’d only had a couple of months on the 450, so we waited another year. We’ll hit the Cali rounds and if we can afford to hit some more races during the rest of the season, we’d love to do that. If we can get picked up or find the funding, we’ll be there.”

The upsets kept on coming in Super Twins, with Briar Bauman taking his Latus Motors-backed Harley-Davidson XG750R to its third win on the trot to increase his lead in the standings over Estenson Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels to ten points. The winning form of the Harley-Davidson has been the surprise of the season so far and Bauman, who also announced that his flat-track star wife Shayna is expecting their first baby, said he was going to ride the high. “I know I’m on a roll right now and I’m not going to take it for granted, but I feel really good.”

When asked what was the key ingredient for turning the XG750R into a race winner, Bauman said it came down to time. “We’ve had some time testing and riding, and that’s really what makes the difference. You don’t get much of an opportunity to improve the bike on a race weekend, it goes by so quickly.”

Daniels came home in third behind Davis Fisher (KTM 790), while Aussie Max Whale continues to make strides on the Royal Enfield 650, coming home in eighth position. Whale finished a season high of sixth the weekend prior at Ventura, and sits seventh in the standings – with the next round being the Lucas Oil Short Track scheduled for June 7 at Wheatland, Missouri.

SuperTwins Standings

AFT Singles Standings